THE SEASONS.

“James, my boy,” said Mr. Marple “do you know why there should be winter and summer?

No, father, I really cannot tell. I know that in England the sun was higher up in the day, and that he stopped up longer in summer than in winter. But then as I believed that the sun ran about as he liked, I was not surprised at his change of place. Now, however, I am very anxious to know more about this subject.

When were we in the circle of the Pleiades, that is, the place where at some time or other of the twenty-four hours they would be overhead?

O, that was long before we got to the equator.

Yes, it was about 1500 miles to the north[Pg 24] of us. Now we are in the circle of the Virgin¹ cluster.

But the Bull and the Virgin belong to the twelve constellations², of which we were talking, forming a broad circle, along which the sun appears to travel.

True. But they are not in an upright circle. Their line will cross our equator Line.

If that be it, the sun does not appear, then, to go round us over the equator.

No; for if it did, it would be seen overhead at that place every day at twelve o’clock; whereas it shifts its course continually. One day it is over one part at noon, and upon another day over another part.

Why, if the circle of the Zodiac be inclined to the circle of the equator, it will cross it in two places. I suppose that is the reason why, on the celestial⁴ globe, one constellation³, as the Virgin, is over the equator circle; others, as the Bull, over some place to the north of it; and some others, as the Scorpion⁵, to the south.

You guess rightly.

Then if that be it, the sun must appear to cross the equator twice in the year.

It does so on the 21st of March and 23rd September. These are the vernal or spring equinox, and the autumnal equinox. March is the vernal equinox of London, or equal day and night in spring; but it is the Australian autumnal equinox. In September the Australias have the spring equinox, and the English the autumnal. The sun is seen[Pg 25] overhead to the furthest north on the 21st of June, and to the furthest south on the 21st of December.

Why, the first is the summer of England, and the last the winter. Then I suppose that is the reason why in summer the sun looks so high up at noon. Then in winter, as it is shining more over parts south of the equator, the north would neither see nor feel so much of him.

That is correct. You now see why the Australian summer is at the time of the English winter.

Yes, father; because they are on opposite sides of the equator. But you know that the sun does not really move about like this. I want to know what does move.

The earth, to be sure.

I understand that; but neither the rotundity nor motion seems to explain this mystery of the Zodiac. But let me see. When the world swings round the master light, is it obliged to keep bolt upright—north pole up and south pole down?

How would your equator then be, James?

Right opposite the sun. But that will not do, for it is not always opposite to the sun. Perhaps the world goes waddling⁶ along like a duck, first on one side a little bit, and then on the other. This would bring the sun opposite to either place.

It would be a very regular waddle⁷. We will try your scheme. Pick up that round wooden ball there. Carry it round the capstan, and[Pg 26] see whether by twisting it from one side to the other you can keep the south pole shone upon for six months, and the north pole shone upon for the other six months.”

James now makes a trial. But after all sorts of turns he failed in producing the English winter and summer in the proper time and for the proper length of time.

“I must give it up, father.

Just slant⁸ your ball a little out of the perpendicular⁹, and carry it round your sun without moving it from its position.

Capital! It explains the whole. When it was in front of the capstan, the south pole was toward it; that was the Australian summer. When I went to the right side, neither end was inclined toward it; this was the sun over the equator. When I came to the back of it, the north pole was toward it; this was the English summer. When I reached the left side, my equator was opposite to it; this was the sun’s second crossing of the Line. When I got to the front again, there was my south pole pointing to the capstan again.

Then you really understand the seasons. Of course the spring in England is the autumn of Australia. But I have something else to recall to your recollection. Have you forgotten the old church on the hill at home?

No, father, and never shall. How pretty it looked when the sun rose over it upon a fine spring morning, with the birds all alive with their song, and the bees down upon the flowers!

[Pg 27]Did the sun rise over the church at hay harvest?

No; I remember then it came up from behind the squire’s house to the left of it.

Where was the sun first seen upon a cold winter’s morning?

Aye, I fancy I see his red face looking lazily over the parsonage to the right of the church, and that when we had done breakfast, too.

How came the sun to jump about in that manner?

Why, do you see, he did not hop¹⁰ from one side to the other. He would get a little further from the church each morning till he rose over the squire’s house: then, as if ashamed, he seemed to creep back to his old place. Afterwards he appeared to take it into his head gradually to get on to the parsonage, and then he would once more turn to the church.

Which was on the north-side of the church, James?

The squire’s house. Now, I think I can explain all without your questions this time, my dear father.

Then go on by all means.

The sun rose over the squire’s house in summer, for that was the north side; the north pole was then inclined to the sun. At spring it was half-way between the squire’s and the parsonage; this was the sun over the equator. In winter the sun rose at the furthest part to the south; this was where the north pole was turned away, and the south side turned to the sun.

[Pg 28]Well, then, you have satisfactorily explained the seasons.”

1 virgin   

n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的

参考例句：

• Have you ever been to a virgin forest?你去过原始森林吗？
• There are vast expanses of virgin land in the remote regions.在边远地区有大片大片未开垦的土地。

2 constellations   

n.星座( constellation的名词复数 )；一群杰出人物；一系列（相关的想法、事物）；一群（相关的人）

参考例句：

• The map of the heavens showed all the northern constellations. 这份天体图标明了北半部所有的星座。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• His time was coming, he would move in the constellations of power. 他时来运转，要进入权力中心了。 来自教父部分

3 constellation   

n.星座n.灿烂的一群

参考例句：

• A constellation is a pattern of stars as seen from the earth. 一个星座只是从地球上看到的某些恒星的一种样子。
• The Big Dipper is not by itself a constellation. 北斗七星本身不是一个星座。

4 celestial   

adj.天体的；天上的

参考例句：

• The rosy light yet beamed like a celestial dawn.玫瑰色的红光依然象天上的朝霞一样绚丽。
• Gravity governs the motions of celestial bodies.万有引力控制着天体的运动。

5 scorpion   

n.蝎子，心黑的人，蝎子鞭

参考例句：

• The scorpion has a sting that can be deadly.蝎子有可以致命的螫针。
• The scorpion has a sting that can be deadly.蝎子有可以致命的螫针。

6 waddling   

v.（像鸭子一样）摇摇摆摆地走( waddle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Rhinoceros Give me a break, were been waddling every day. 犀牛甲：饶了我吧，我们晃了一整天了都。 来自互联网
• A short plump woman came waddling along the pavement. 有个矮胖女子一摇一摆地沿人行道走来。 来自互联网

7 waddle   

vi.摇摆地走；n.摇摆的走路(样子)

参考例句：

• I am pregnant.I waddle awkwardly and my big stomach pressed against the weight of the world. 我怀孕了，我滑稽可笑地瞒珊而行，大肚子上压着全世界的重量。
• We waddle and hop and have lots of fun.我们走起路来摇摇摆摆，还一跳一跳的。我们的生活很有趣。

8 slant   

v.倾斜，倾向性地编写或报道；n.斜面，倾向

参考例句：

• The lines are drawn on a slant.这些线条被画成斜线。
• The editorial had an antiunion slant.这篇社论有一种反工会的倾向。

9 perpendicular   

adj.垂直的，直立的；n.垂直线，垂直的位置

参考例句：

• The two lines of bones are set perpendicular to one another.这两排骨头相互垂直。
• The wall is out of the perpendicular.这墙有些倾斜。

10 hop   

n.单脚跳，跳跃；vi.单脚跳，跳跃；着手做某事；vt.跳跃，跃过

参考例句：

• The children had a competition to see who could hop the fastest.孩子们举行比赛，看谁单足跳跃最快。
• How long can you hop on your right foot?你用右脚能跳多远？